Once again two Brazilian beauties made it into the restricted club of the world's 10 most desirable women: supermodel Adriana Lima as number 4 and Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrósio as number 6. AskMen.com, which calls itself the Internet's #1 lifestyle site for men, unveiled Wednesday, January 31, its 7th annual Top 99 Most Desirable Women list.
Readers of the online magazine cast a record number of online votes this year – more than 8.5 million – to name the women who best embody the qualities of a "fantasy girlfriend."
Beyoncé Knowles, the singer turned actress, is the #1 Most Desirable Woman of 2007. Screen star Scarlett Johansson is the runner-up and actress Jessica Alba, last year's #1 Most Desirable Woman, rounds out the top three.
The remaining top ten include Adriana Lima, who in 2005 was number one, actress Jessica Biel, Alessandra Ambrósio, Latin American pop singer Shakira, "Access Hollywood" host Maria Menounos, actress and U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie and actress Elisha Cuthbert.
Unlike other lists, the Top 99 Most Desirable Women list is determined by AskMen.com readers, not just an editorial staff. Every year, voters from all over the world are asked to look beyond sex appeal and beauty to pick women who have the characteristics they value in a potential companion, like intelligence, humor, charisma and ambition.
"The diverse group of women on this list reflects the diversity of our own readers," said James Bassil, Editor-in-Chief of AskMen.com. "Even though most of our readers are in the U.S., the women on this list are from Brazil, India, Mexico and lots of places in between. Whether they're known for singing, modeling, acting or sports, there is a common thread: These women offer more than meets the eye."
Now in its seventh year, the Top 99 Most Desirable Women list of 2006 drew a record number of visitors to AskMen.com. This year, readers continued the momentum by casting more than 8.5 million votes over six weeks, the most votes ever.
AskMen presents Adriana Lima as "the best face in the industry" and "the most in-demand runway model in the world," someone who is at the very top of the supermodel food chain.
"Although she is best-known for her status as one of the sizzling Victoria's Secret Angels, she is also a spokesmodel for Guess?, XOXO and Armani Jeans. Over the course of her career, she has appeared in dozens of ad campaigns and has graced the pages of innumerable fashion magazines."
And the online publication continues: "After topping AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2005 list and sitting comfortably in the No. 4 spot of the 2006 edition, Adriana is back in the top five in 2007. We can't blame our readers for keeping her there; over the past year, she has become one of the most coveted models in the industry and the third highest-paid model in the world.
"In fact, she is so famous that she can't even walk down the street in some countries. "It's insane!" she says. "Some people ask me for my autograph and a picture, but mostly they will follow me around. They follow me into bathrooms!"
AskMen is forecasting for this year that Adriana will continue to appear alongside her fellow Angels, including Heidi Klum, Gisele Bündchen and Alessandra Ambrósio, in ad campaigns and fashion shows. And reveals that Lima continues to help with the expansion of an orphanage in her hometown of Salvador, Brazil. "When I help someone, I lose 0.01% of my ego," she says.
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Alessandra Ambrósio is presented as a spicy Brazilian bombshell who since being discovered following the Elite modeling agency's 1996 "Look of the Year" competition, has been consistently gracing the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
"Her most memorable walk down the Victoria's Secret runway was in 2005, when she sported a bra and panties made entirely out of candy. Her exotic look has also been featured in high-profile campaigns for Guess? and Revlon."
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Alessandra made quite a splash, says AskMen growing from her previous No. 36 spot on the list to an impressive No. 6. And they remind the public that Ambrósio last year also dabbled briefly in the world of acting, making her movie debut with a seductive cameo appearance in Casino Royale.
